Vicki Kirsch, a third-grade teacher at Dixon Intermediate School in Milton, told a federal court Wednesday that an agreement to end officially sanctioned prayer in Santa Rosa County schools is at odds with her religious beliefs.

"My Christian beliefs are under attack and ... I wasn't able to do the things that I could do before the consent decree," she testified.Kirsch's testimony came on the first day of a hearing in which a religious educators group called Christian Educators Association International is asking a judge to allow it to participate in the revamping of the decree.

In August 2008, two Pace High School students sued the School District and Pace Principal Frank Lay, saying school officials routinely pushed their religious beliefs upon students.

Last May, the American Civil Liberties Union, representing the students, and the School District struck an agreement to end the long-standing practice.

U.S. District Judge Casey Rodgers earmarked 2½ days this week to hear why the group should be able to argue for changes in the decree. The ACLU and the School District want the decree to stay as it is.Attorney Horatio Mihet, who represents the Christian Educators, argued Wednesday that the decree fails to draw a distinction between what teachers can say and do in their official capacity as educators and what they can do as private citizens while in the classroom or attending school events.

"The only reason we are here is to ask for a seat at their table," Mihet said. "We are not trying to turn back 50 years of case law and allow (Christian Educators) members to return to the classroom and turn children into little disciples."

In more than two hours of testimony, Kirsch, a Christian Educators member since 1994, said the consent decree has made her uneasy about what she can and cannot say at school and at school events.She said she's afraid to say, "God bless you," to a fellow teacher. She's not sure if she's allowed to let students talk about their baptisms in speeches to classes.

"My Christian beliefs are under attack and ... I wasn't able to do the things that I could do before the consent decree," she testified.Kirsch's testimony came on the first day of a hearing in which a religious educators group called Christian Educators Association International is asking a judge to allow it to participate in the revamping of the decree.

In August 2008, two Pace High School students sued the School District and Pace Principal Frank Lay, saying school officials routinely pushed their religious beliefs upon students.

Last May, the American Civil Liberties Union, representing the students, and the School District struck an agreement to end the long-standing practice.

U.S. District Judge Casey Rodgers earmarked 2½ days this week to hear why the group should be able to argue for changes in the decree. The ACLU and the School District want the decree to stay as it is.Attorney Horatio Mihet, who represents the Christian Educators, argued Wednesday that the decree fails to draw a distinction between what teachers can say and do in their official capacity as educators and what they can do as private citizens while in the classroom or attending school events.

"The only reason we are here is to ask for a seat at their table," Mihet said. "We are not trying to turn back 50 years of case law and allow (Christian Educators) members to return to the classroom and turn children into little disciples."

In more than two hours of testimony, Kirsch, a Christian Educators member since 1994, said the consent decree has made her uneasy about what she can and cannot say at school and at school events.She said she's afraid to say, "God bless you," to a fellow teacher. She's not sure if she's allowed to let students talk about their baptisms in speeches to classes.

Benjamin Stevenson, attorney for the ACLU, reminded Kirsch that the cross was on school property.

"You said you put it there to remind you of the Lord?" Stevenson asked."Yes," she said."It would also remind your students of the Lord?" Stevenson asked.Kirsch said she didn't know.

The issue

Rodgers reminded Mihet several times to focus on the issue at hand of whether his client has the legal right to participate in renegotiating the decree.

The judge became testy with Mihet when he asked Kirsch to repeat how President Barack Obama ended a recorded speech played for students earlier in the school year. Conservative groups decried the president's speech as possible indoctrination.

" 'Thank you and God bless America,' " Kirsch recalled the president's words.Rodgers interjected."Why would you ask that question, Mr. Mihet?" the judge asked. "President Obama is not an employee of the School District and is not subject to this order."